The hairpin was brought to the stage by one of the beautiful female assistants. Without any unnecessary elaborate display of support or cases.

The beautiful assistant wore a striking red qipao[1], her hands delicately held the hairpin at both ends.

The hairpin was made of fragrant agarwood, simple yet exquisite and elegant. It exudes a comforting fragrance of nature when placed in the room.

A pattern of carved out ice lotus in bloom adorned the top portion of the hairpin, perfect with a dropping lotus pendant that dangles charmingly.

The lotus pendant was made from pure green jade that emitted a warm glow.

In order to convince the present guests that this item had truly belonged to Imperial Consort Song of the ancient X Dynasty, the beautiful assistant personally brought the hairpin down from the stage and allowed the guests to take a closer look at it while being protected by a group of elite security personnel.

All the while, the auctioneer was busy narrating its historical value and the story behind the hairpin….

Seeing the beautiful assistant moving closer to her seat, Song Wuyou’s heart tightened with nervousness.

Her eyes followed the hairpin in the beauty’s hands without blinking.

When the beautiful assistant was near enough, Song Wuyou suddenly grabbed the female assistant’s hand with fervor.

Look, but don’t touch –– this was one of the auction’s rules.

Song Wuyou’s action startled the beautiful assistant into thinking that Song Wuyou wanted to snatch the hairpin. Instinctively, the beautiful assistant jumped back in fright. Her hands trembled slightly, causing the hairpin in her hands nearly slipped off.

One of the securities moved swiftly to block Song Wuyou, hindering her from taking any further actions.

The ruckus on this side was quick to attract the surrounding people’s attention –– including Gu Yanhao’s.

“Mrs. Gu, please release your hand!” the security personnel knew Gu Yanhao was present at the event, and thus did not dare to be excessively rude towards Song Wuyou.

In the contrary, Song Wuyou’s attention was solely focused on the hairpin between the beautiful assistant’s hands, her voice was shaky as she requested, “I want to see the body of the hairpin.”

The beautiful assistant smiled professionally and turned the hairpin around so that Song Wuyou could see all she liked.

With a whoosh, Song Wuyou’s face suddenly turned pale.

Not…..

It was not her ‘Bounding Passion’ hairpin.

She dazedly released the beautiful assistant’s hand as she sat there feeling a little loss.

The beautiful assistant looked at her in puzzlement, but she moved onward to another guest with grace and professionalism.

“Imperial Consort Song was a strong lady who fought in the war conquering the Empire alongside the Emperor of X Dynasty, more legendary than Hua Mulan[2]….”

“This hairpin was the Emperor’s token of love to Imperial Consort Song.”

“….it was said that Imperial Consort Song was very much favored by the Emperor. But who would have thought that Imperial Consort Song would meet her fate on the battlefield.”

“In the days following Imperial Consort Song’s death, the Emperor was heartbroken. In the relic belongings of Imperial Consort Song the soldiers brought back, this hairpin was amongst them.”

“N number of years later, when the Emperor ascended the throne, he decreed her to be promoted as the first-rank consort and went by the name of Imperial Consort Song respectively……”

The auctioneer’s words resounded in her ears, sweet and beautiful, carrying a taste of sadness as he introduced the origins of the hairpin. His way of narrating seemed to be reminiscing a great yet tragic love story between Imperial Consort Song and the Emperor.

As Song Wuyou listened, she was gradually filled with ironic anguish.

‘Was it?’

She had died in that heartless man’s hands after the new Palace’s construction was completed. How could the truth deviated so much, twisted into something else in these people’s eyes; ‘She died on the battlefield?’

Laughable!

They even acclaimed that callous man as the greatest lover. He kept her hairpin as a remembrance?

That man brought in numerous concubines to the Royal Palace after he ascended the Dragon Throne[3], pampering only the Empress. He was heartbroken after her death?

Listening to such story, Song Wuyou was irate and felt a sense of irony at the same time.

History had truly been distorted by these future generations….

In the VIP section, Gu Yanhao’s unfathomable sharp eyes were observing Song Wuyou. When he noticed her downcast eyes brimming with unspeakable sadness, doubt appeared in his pupils.

The last time she saw the hairpin in the auction catalog, she had been very excited.

Now, seeing the actual item, her emotions were even more disturbed. Furthermore, exposing such painful and sad expression.